Deodorizer



June 26, 1951 R. R. TRAv|s l 2,558,469

DEoDoRIzER Filed July 8, 1946 INVENTOR. RUSSELL R. TRAVIS ATTORNEYS Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE DEODORIZER Russell R. Travis, Lomita, Calif.

Application July 8, 1946, Serial No. 681,825

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to atomizers and particularly to atomizing devices for use mounted in the tank of the ordinary toilet for projecting a spray of disinfectant or deodorant into the air periodically.

I am aware that atomizers have been used in connection with toilets for the purpose of spraying a quantity of deodorant or disinfectant into the air at the time the toilet is flushed. Various means have been used for actuating these devices but so far as I am aware the devices heretofore used have had several disadvantages.

One disadvantage common to several devices is the fact that they are dependant upon the force exerted by the rise or fall of the level of the water in the tank. In the operation of such atomizing devices it is not always possible to secure a strong enough force of air to obtain the desired degree of atomization. Other devices are cumbersome and dinicult to mount out of sight, as within the tank. In some cases devices have been mounted eXteriorly of the tank, but these are objectionable both from the standpoint of appearance and the fact that they are usually manipulated by a person either directly or by manipulation of the lever or pull chain used for flushing the toilet.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide novel means particularly adapted for mounting in the tank of the ordinary toilet for spraying a desired quantity oi deodorant or disinfectant into the room at the time the toilet is flushed. In this connection, it is a particular object to provide a device which is actuated by the lowering of the liquid level in the tank but is not dependent upon the water in the tank for supplying the force to operate the atomizer device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the type indicated which gives a positive, quick spraying action independently of the rate of rise or fall of the Water in the tank of the toilet.

It is also an object to provide a device which may be regulated to vary the relative proportions of air or liquid deodorant or disinfectant in the spray.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a device of the type indicated which may be readily mounted in the ordinary type of tank of a toilet and which, when mounted therein, will spray into the room in a desired direction.

It is also an object to provide an atomizing device which is inherently suitable for use in various installations and is not limited to the particular use for which it is illustrated and described herein.

These and other objects will appear from the following description and the drawing. Referring to the drawingwhich is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the tank of a toilet broken away to show a part thereof in section and to show a device embodying the invention mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section of the outer end of the device.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral I0 generally indicates the tank of a toilet. The device of the invention is generally indicated by numeral l2 and is shown mounted Within the tank supported by and extending through the end wall I4 of the tank. The atomizing device includes an atomizing mechanism I5, a container I6 for holding a supply of deodorant or disinfectant or other suitable liquid,

and a float operating mechanism generally indicated by numeral I8.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2-6 for a more detailed description of the device, the atomizing mechanism I5 consists of a housing made up, in the form of the invention showrnof a cylindrical member 20 which is threaded at 2l to receive an end closure or cap 22 which is correspondingly threaded and which is apertured at 23. The member 2!) has an elongated tubular extension or nipple 24 which is provided with external screw threads 25.

In installing the device in the tank, a suitable hole 28 is provided in the wall I4 of the tank and the nipple 24 passed therethrough, leaving a portion thereof projecting externally of the tank. A retaining plate 29 adapted to thread on the nipple is screwed thereon to the position in which it is shown in the drawing and the parts are then held securely mounted in place.

A piston 3D is positioned in bore 3| of the member 20. This piston is provided with a headed projection 32 having a tapered surface 3'3 and an annular shoulder 34. A spring 35 is provided for yieldably holding the piston in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. The

outer end of this spring abuts against a ring 36 which is provided with a tapered frusto-conical cam face 31 for a purpose which will be described later.

In order to operate the piston, a stem 38 is slidably mounted in a Abore 39 in the cap 22 and is provided at its inner end with a pair of pivotally mounted ngers 40. The arms have hooked projections 4| at their inner ends shaped to engage the inner side or shoulder 34 of the headed projection 32 of the piston. Preferably the inner ends of the projections 4| on the fingers are tapered, as indicated by the numeral 42, in order to provide a cam surface which will engage the tapered surface 33 on the head of the stud of the piston so that the projections may be expanded over into the position in which they are shown in the drawing. The outer or rear ends of the fingers diverge relatively to each other and are yieldably held apart by means of a compression spring which, inthe form shown, passesy through an opening 46 in the stem.

bell crank lever 48 having a long arm 49 carrying a float 5B at its outer end. The short arm 5| is pivotally connected to a link 52 which in turn is pivotally connected to the stem 38.

The housing 20 is provided with a liquid passageway 53 which leads from a threaded bore 54 to a port 55 at the inner end of bore 3| and to a second port 56 communicating with the passage- Way 24' through the nipple'24. The portion of the passageway 53 between ports 55 and 5S is in reality a suction passageway during the forward motion of the piston, as will be explained later.

Mounted in the threaded bore 54 is a fitting 51 to which is attached the container I5 adapted to hold a quantity of liquid to be sprayed. The'fitting 51 contains a bah check valve of ordinary i.. construction indicated at 58 which controls the passageway 59 extending through the fitting. This valve permits flow of fluid in a direction from' the container to the insideY of the *housingl 20, but prevents return flow.

In the form of the invention shown, the fitting 51 is 'provided with a flange 6U so that a coupling element 62 having a anged upper end 53 may b mounted thereon. The coupling element 52 is` internally threaded at 54 to screw onto the upper end of the container i6, as shown. A suction tube 66 extending to the bottom ofthe' container is provided and this tube has a flange 51 at its upper end so that the same may be secured and' held in place by the coupling element 62 when the same is Yscrewed onto the container. Suitablek of the bore 3| than the liquid inlet'port 55 so that" in the operation of the device air is not immediately drawn into the cylinder, as will be ex-v plained later. Y

At its outer end the nipple 24 is provided with a counterbore 15 in which is mounted` a check` valve* 16; Outwardly ofthe bore 15 is a second counterbore 18 which is adapted to accommodate` an atomizing disc 8U .which may beV secured in the bore by a press t. 'I'he atomizing disc 80 is provided with aplurality of longitudinal' groovesV 8j at its periphery, as shown inlig.Y '3.

In the operation of the device, assuming the parts are in the position in which 'they are shown in the drawing, upon the toilet being iiushed the water level in the tank drops, thereby permitting the float 50 to fall, as indicated by the broken line position thereof in Fig. 1. In this connection it is to be pointed out that the float should preferably be weighted so that it will just barely float in water in order to insureV sufiicient weight thereof to operate the piston against the force of the spring 35. One way'of accomplishing this is to partially fill the float with water. Y

As the float drops the piston 30 is pulled from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 toward the opposite end of the bore 3| through the lever and linkage system heretofore described. During its movement the piston creates a partial vacuum behind it, the effect of which is to immediately draw 4in a quantity of liquid through the passageway 53 and port 55 from the container. After the piston hasV moved a sufficient distance touncover the air inlet opening 13, air is drawn in during the remainder of the stroke of the piston. The position of the air inlet thus determines the amount of liquid that will be drawn into the cylinder and the location of the air inlet may be varied in different models of thev device to accomplish the desired results with the materials being used.

When the piston and its associated operating mechanism has moved suiiciently far to the right, the outer ends of the fingers 4B strike the cam surface 31 of the ring 36 and through the interaction of the parts, the outer ends of the fingers are forced inwardly, causing the opposite ends of the projections 4| Vthereon to become housing, and also any entrapped liquid. is forced out through the nipple 24 and the check valve 16` and through the passages 8| in the plate SE1, the

mixture 'being' atomized by passage through the The expelled restricted passagesl in the disc. air passing through the nipple creates a suction at the port 55 so that liquid is drawn through the port into the air stream. This construction causes removal of liquid from the bottom of theV cylinder, insuring that the liquid deodorant or disinfectantdrawn into the cylinder on Vthe suction stroke of the piston is expelled on the return stroke.

the mixture through the airV inlet 13, while the check valve 58located in the fitting 571 prevents' escape of the mixture int/o the container! Dui ing the intake stroke of the piston, the check valve 15, of course, prevents air being drawn in through the nipple 24.

Although the invention hasbeen shown and described with reference to a particular type of installation, it is contemplated that various changes and modiications may be made not only in the installation but in the details of construc-r tion of the atomizing device itself, and it is intended to cover such'changes and modications as come within the spirit of the claims.

I claim:

1.V In an atomizing device, a cylinderhaving an" inlet and an outlet, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having a headed projection at the end thereof farthest removed from said outlet, come` During the forward stroke of the piston the check valve 14 prevents escape of' pression spring means between said piston and the end of said cylinder farthest removed from said outlet, an elongated member slidably mounted in said mentioned end of said cylinder for movement longitudinally of said cylinder, a spring urged catch on the inner end of said elongated member adapted to releasably engage the headed projection on said piston, and cooperating carri surfaces for releasing said catch from said piston at a predetermined point of travel of said piston away from said outlet, one of said surfaces extending radially inward from the wall of the cylinder and another 'of said surfaces being on said catch.

2. In an atomizing device for use as described, a housing having a cylindrical chamber therein, having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a piston in said cylinder, a compression spring urging said piston toward said outlet, piston actuating means including a stem extending through an end of said housing for releasahle attachment to said piston whereby said piston may Iloe moved against said spring, means for automatically disengaging said piston actuating means from said piston when said piston has moved a predetermined distance under the inuence of said actuating means including interengaging means on said stem and said housing, and means for operably moving said piston actuating means including a weighted iioat lever operatively associated with said stem adapted to be supported by water in a toilet tank.

3. In an atomizing device, a housing providing a cylindrical bore and an outlet passage of less diameter than said bore and extending from one end of said bore, said housing having a liquid inlet passage terminating in an inlet port at the lower periphery of said bore adjacent the ,end communica-ting ywith said outlet passage and having a suction passage leading from said inlet port to a suction port located in said o-utlet passage, a piston in said bore, and means for operating said piston.

RUSSELL R. TRAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 24,868 Hartzler July' 26, 1859 708,897 Meals Sept. 9, 1902 726,069 Josse Apr. 21, 1903 1,309,014 Ranson et al Apr. 8, 1919 1,342,338 Main June l, 1920 1,489,452 Napolis et al Apr. 8, 1924 1,976,903 Tear Oct. 16, 1934 2,067,601 Dobkin Jan.. 12, 1937 2,217,191 Thernell Aug. 16, 1938 2,269,901 Bletcher et al Jan.. 13, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 159,716 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1921 683,523 Germany Oct. 19, 1939 

